Apparatus for disinfecting gases.



C. P. DIBTZ & V. DIETZ, JR. APPARATUS FOR DISINFEGTING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1. 1912.

1,052,898. Patented Feb.11,1913.

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G. F. DIETZ L V. DIETZLJP. APPARATUS P0P DISINPBGTING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I. 1912.

1,052,898. Patented Feb.11,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANOQRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. DA c.

UNTEB STAT@ PATE VQ..

VALENTINE DETZ, JR., OF NEW YORK, AND CHARLES E. DIETZ, OF YONKERS, NEWYORK.

APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patqgnfd Feb, 11, iQ-.,

Serial No. 680,888.

Application filed-March 1, 1912.

chambers arranged sequentially, with disinfectant supply means for theseveral treatw ing chambers, the whole being constructed as a unitarydevice; Fig. 3 illustrates our disinfecting apparatus shown in Fig. 2,arranged in combination with a plurality of coflins, outside overcases,Catacombs or similar receptacles; and Fig. 4 shows in vertical sectionanother modiiication of our disinfecting apparatus.

Fig. l illustrates one form of our disinfecting apparatus embodyingm-eans for controlling the quantity of disinfecting fluid such asformaldehyde, or other suitable disinfect-ing fluid used for insuringsanitary disposal of gases of decomposition. The inflow passage 20communicates at its inlet 2l with the interior of the coffin or similarreceptacle and opens at the bottom of the disinfecting chamber 22, belowa porous or foraminous septum, 23. Above the septum 23 is a mass ofgranular or other porous substance, such as charcoal, coke or likesubstances or a mixture of such divided substances, preferably havingmore or less purifying action. As the gases' flow into the intake 2l,the spring control valve 24 is displaced and actuat-e-s the slidingvalve 25 to allow the port 26 to be brought in more or less registerwith the outflow passage 27 of the compartment 28 containing thedisinfecting liquid or gas. The outlet passage 27 is preferably providedat its lowermost extremity with the sprayer or atomizer 29, therebydistributing the disinfecting agent over the porous mass 30, whereby thedisinfecting agent percolates through the porous mass and is brought ineffective purifying relation with the gases of decomposition risingupwardly through the mass 30. The outlet 6 of the disinfecting chamber22 `is provided with a key valve 9 for precluding, when desired, theescape of fluid. The disinfectant is charged into the disinfectantreservoir 28 through a suitable opening provided with a gas-tightclosure 8 of any approved construction. In this form of our invention,the quantity of disinfecting agent is regulated in accordance with theamount of decomposition gases to be disinfected. It will be understoodthat the degree of disinfecting property of the disinfecting agent willbe chosen according to the circumstances, depending in some measure uponthe nature of the disease with which To all r11/zoniet may concern Be itknown that we, VALENTINE Din'rz, J r., residing at New York, in thecounty of New York, and CHAnLns F. Dm'rz, residing at Yonkers, in theState of New York, citizens of the United States, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Disinfecting Gases, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for disinfecting gases.

More specifically', our invention is directed to sanitation anddisinfecting means for rendering the products of decomposition incidentto the disintegration of dead bodies innocuous.

We contemplate our disinfecting means to be connected by intervening gasconducting means to one or more cofiins, outside overcases, Catacombs,and the like, or when constructed as a part of, integrally with, securedto, carried by or in unitary relation to the same. In accordance withour invention, the coffin, outside overcase, catacomb and the like ismade substantially gas tight, and suitable gas conducting means providedbetween the interior of such receptacle or receptacles and thedisinfecting means.v By the expression receptacle as used herein, wemean to include coffins, outside overcases, Catacombs, and the like,which are of suitable construction for attaining the desired results.

Our invention is directed to disinfecting means for one or morereceptacles adapted to contain the remains of a decomposing body,comprising' a particular arrangement of disinfectant-containing andtreating chambers with provision for effectively procuring the desireddisinfection, and at the same time securing economies in the spacerequired for the disinfecting means and the amount of disinfectantemployed.

Other features of our invention will be more fully understood from thefollowing description and from the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure lis a vertical sectional view of one form of our invention,embodying a reservoir for the disinfectant, and treating chamberdisposed below the disinfectant reservoir; Fig. 2 illustrates anotherembodiment of our invention, shown in vertical section, comprising' aplurality of treating is preferably made adjustable the dead body Wasafliicted.

. catacomb or similar receptacle, and under such circumstances it ispreferable to construct the disinfecting apparatus to preserve thegeneral outlines of such receptacle. The actual dimensions of thecombined disinfecting tank and disinfecting compartment Will be governedaccording to the location of the disinfecting means on the coffin,outsideovercase, catacomb or any other receptacle containing decomposingorganic matter. This form of our invention may be used also When notforming part of the receptacle containing the decomposing matter, as isexplained hereinafter.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 2, similar to that shown in Fig. 1,comprises a receptacle 28 for containing the disinfecting agent and aseparate receptacle 22 for carrying out the disinfection of thedecomposition gases. In this case the inflow passage 20, provided with aspring controlled valve 24 regulates the amount of disinfecting agentadmitted into different portions of the disinfecting chamber 22. Fig. 2shows the disinfecting chamber 22 divided into three sub-chambers 31,32, 33, connected by communicating passages 34, 35. As shown, the inletpassage 20 leads the decomposition gases to the bottom of the firstsubchamber 31, whence the gases rise through the perforated bottom 23and up through the porous mass 36, thence through the passage 34 to thebottom o-f the sub-chamber 32, through the porous mass 37, and thence bypassage 35 through the porous mass 38, finally escaping through theoutlet 39. The outlet 39 may be provided With a spring contro-lledvalve, or with the key valve 9. The disinfecting receptacle 28 in thiscase is provided With three outlets 40, 41, 42, leading to therespective sub-chambers 31, 32, 33. These outlets 40, 41, 42, eachfitted With a sprayer or atomizer 29, are each provided with a valveWhich is operated by the valve 24 to admit disinfecting agent upon theactuation of the valve 24. It Will be understood that the porous massesin the several sub-chambers need not be of the same construction orarrangement, and that dierent disinfecting agents or of differentdegrees of disinfecting properties may be admitted through the passages40, 41, 42, in which case the disinfecting compartment 28 vvill bedivided into three chambers. The number o-f sub-chambers may be of anynumber desired; also the position of the subchambers relative to oneanother may be arranged so that one sub-chamber is at a greaterelevation than a preceding subchamber, thereby facilitating the flow ofgases from one sub-chamber to another. These chambers may be constructedas separate parts, or may be divisional portions of a casing. Theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be arranged to be disposed onone or more sides of the coiiin, outsid-e overcase, catacomb or likereceptacle.

When the arrangements indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 are applied as securedto or made a part of the coffin, outside overcase or the like, thedisinfecting reservoir and disinfecting compartment are constructed as aunit, and preferably by concealing all passages, valves and other partsfrom view and preserving the general contour and appearance of thecoffin, outside overcase or catacomb. F or purposes of removingmoisture, condensed Water and the like, forming part of thedecomposition gases, We cause the decomposition gases to pass through,or come in contact With a dehydrating substance 45 disposed in thatpassage, or other suitable location, and preferably at such location inthe pat-h of the decomposition gases prior to the same coming in contactwith the disinfecting agent.

It will thus be seen that our invention secures a disinfecting orpurification of the gases arising upon decomposition of bodies in aneffectual manner, and can be applied at all times, Whether the coffin,outside overcase or the like is disposed in a private residence or otherbuilding occupied by living persons, or when placed in a permanentlocation, such as a vault, mausoleum or in the ground. It will be seenthat, in accordance With our invention a disinfecting means is appliedto each coffin, outside overcase or catacomb, thereby avoiding theordinary piping necessary in the common systems of disinfection, inwhich a central disinfecting device is permanently located in a vault orlike structure, to disinfect decomposition gases conveyed thereto bypipes from the various coiiins, outside overcases or Catacombs.

In Fig. 3 is shown an arrangement embodying certain features of t-hemethod of disinfection indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. According to thearrangement shown in Fig. 3, the Catacombs 5() are connected by a systemof pipes 51, leading to one or more mains 52, to a disinfectingarrangement 53, preferably installed in the vault or mausoleum structureabove the Catacombs 50, for example, on the roof of the building or on afloor at or near the top of the building. As shown, the decompositiongases rising in the pipes 51 flow through main 52 to the inlet passage54, and actuates the valve 55, thereby controlling the flow ofdisinfectant through the outlets 56, into the respective compartments orsub-chambers 57, containing charcoal, coke and like porous substances,Which may have of themselves more or less property of purifying thegases passing therethrough. In the disinfectant arrangement shown inFig. 3, the sub-chambers 57 are horizontally arranged With respect toone another, Whereas in the disinfection arrangement shown in Fig. t,the

compartments 57 are arranged at different elevations, and are specicallyshown as being directly above one another. The outlets 56 are preferablyprovided With a sprayer 58 for distributing the disinfecting agentthrough the porous masses 59. A reservo-ir 60 containing thedisinfecting agent is preferably disposed above the compartments 57containing the porous masses 59, in Which case the static pressure ofthe disinfecting agent facilitates the distribution of the disinfectantthrough the porous masses. It Will be understood, however, that thedisinfectant may be a gas and compressed in the reservoir 60. Thedisinfectant employed will be chosen in accordance With the nature o-fthe disinfection to be effected, and the reservoir 60 may be formed ofseparate subreservoirs having one or more outlets 56. The connection ofeach cofiin, outside overcase or catacomb 50, With pipe 51 is madethrough a pipe or conduit provided with valve 6l. Upon the flow of thedecomposition gases through the inlet 54 of the disinfecting arrangement53, the valve 55 Will be displaced causing the valves of the .out-lets56 to be moved to a more or less open position, admitting the desiredamount of disinfectant to the porous masses 59.

It will be understood that our invention is not limited to the specificdetails illustrated in the drawings and described herein, since manychanges and modifications may be made Without defeating the purposes andobject-s of this invention.

Having thus described our invention, We declare that What We claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A disinfecting device for one or more receptacles adapted to containdecomposing matter, comprising a reservoir for' containing adisinfectant, a chamber for treating the gases arising fromdecomposition, said chamber embodying a plurality of interconnectedcompartments, valve controlled outlets from said reservoir leadingrespectively into said treating compartments, communicating meansconnecting said treating chamber with said receptacle or receptacles,and means disposed in said communicating means for automatically openingthe respective valves of said outlets upon the flow of decompositiongases through said `communicating means.

Disinfecting means for one or more receptacles adapted to contain theremains of a decomposing body, comprising a treating chamber formed of aplurality of sequentially connected compartments, a reservoir for thedisinfectant disposed above said compartments and having a plurality ofvalve controlled outlets leading to said compartments, a passagecommunicating with an extreme compartment of said sequentially connectedcompartments and said receptacle or receptacles, and means actuated uponthe How of decomposition gases through said passage for controlling theamount of disinfectant discharged through the valves of said outlets ofsaid reservoir into the compartments of said treating chamber.

3. Disinfecting means for one or more receptacles adapted to contain theremains of a decomposing body, comprising a treating chamber having aplurality of inter-communicating compartments, a reservoir for thedisinfectant, said reservoir having a pluraiity of valve controlledout-lets communicating respectively with said plurality of compartments,an inlet gas passage for said treating chamber, a valve disposed in saidgas passage, and means connecting said valve of said gas passage withthe valves of said outlets whereby the flow of decomposition gas throughsaid passage automatically effects the opening of said outlet valves.

4. Disinfecting means for one or more receptacles adapted to contain theremains of a decomposing body, comprising a plurality ofinter-connected' chambers for the treatment of the gases arising fromdecomposition, a disinfectant reservoir having a valve controlled outletfor permitting the flow of disinfectant into said chambers, a gas inletfor one of said chambers, means disposed in said chambers for regulatingthe period of reaction between the disinfectant and the decompositiongases, and means including a valve disposed in said inlet forautomatically controlling the HOW of disinfectant through said valvecontrolled outlet in response to the pressure of the decompositiongases.

5. Disinfecting means for one or more receptacles adapted to contain theremains of a decomposing body, comprising a treating chamber, means forconducting the decomposition gases under pressure from said receptaclefor receptacles to said treating chamber, material in said treatingchamber for retarding the gases under pressure, a disinfectant reservoirdisposed above said treating chamber, a valve controlled passage fromsaid reservoir leading to the upper portion of said material, and meansactuated by t-he pressure of the gases disposed in said conducting meansfor automatically controlling the flow of disinfectant upon the upperportion of said material.

6. Disinfecting means for one or more receptacles adapted to contain theremains of a decomposing body, comprising a plurality of treatingchambers connected in sequence, a passage connecting said receptacle orreceptacles with one of said treating chambers, a reservoir for thedisinfectant, said reservoir having a plurality of valve controlledoutlets for supplying disinfectant to said plurality of treatingchambers, a valve located in said passage, and means connecting the saidlast named valve with the valves of said outlets whereby the amount ofdisinfectant admitted to the several treating chambers is controlled bythe flow of as through said passage.

7. Disinfecting means for one or more receptacles adapted to contain theremains of a decomposing body, comprising a plurality of inter-connectedtreating chambers, each containing a mass of finely divided material,means for conducting the decomposition gases from said receptacle orreceptacles to the lower sides of said masses of finely dividedmaterial, a disinfectant reservoir having valve controlled outletsleading to the upper sides of said masses of finely divided material,and means including a valve disposed in said conducting means forautomatically regulating the amount of disinfectant iovving through saidoutlets in accordance With the How of decomposition gases through saidconducting means.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of tivoWitnesses.

' VALENTINE DIETZ, JR.

CHARLES F. DIETZ.

Witnesses:

K. Gr. LE ARD, HENRY J. LUCKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

